Am I able to check Hispanic/Latino on the Common App?

Student Lounge Hispanic Students
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<p>I know many people have posted this question before, and I've looked into the classifications of Hispanic and Latino thoroughly, however I still am quite confused. I am a person of mixed origins, specifically 1/4th Argentinian, 1/4th Italian, 1/4th Irish, and 1/4th Austrian. On sheets in the past, I have identified with White, however since the beginning of this year, I have started to identify as both White and Hispanic. </p>

<p>Am I allowed to check "yes" when it asks if you are Hispanic on the common app? I'd prefer to check Hispanic as my last name is Hispanic/Italian sounding and Hispanics are an URM, so that would improve my chances of admission. However, I do not want colleges to think I am being deceitful, as I've heard even getting colleges to question your character can result in a rejection. However, if my background is technically able to be classified as Hispanic/Latino, that would be preferable. Assuming I am allowed to check Hispanic, what should I do to maximize my chances of being considered "diverse"?</p>

<p>Will colleges be suspicious/doubtful of me so that it could harm my chances of getting accepted? Will I need to provide documentation for my race (I believe it was my grandfather who was Argentinian and he emigrated to the US in the early 1900s, so as you can imagine I do not have this at hand)? All responses are greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time.</p>

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<p>In post #1 of the sticky thread about the definition of Hispanic, you will see that for the CA and college admissions purposes, the US Census definition of Hispanic is used:</p>

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<p>In other words, if you self-identify as Hispanic, then you are considered Hispanic for purposes of the US Census and the CA. There is no percentage or other qualification (as there are for some Hispanic scholarships, programs, etc.), it is whether you consider yourself Hispanic that is the sole criteria. This does not have to be exclusive, you can identify with other ethnicities as well as Hispanic.</p>

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<p>As long as you’re telling the truth, colleges are not going to be doubtful. </p>

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<p>Ethnicity and race are two separate things (again, see post #1 of the sticky thread). Hispanics can be and are of any race(s). The only category of URMs that is asked for proof are NA.</p>

<p><a href=“I%20believe%20it%20was%20my%20grandfather%20who%20was%20Argentinian%20and%20he%20emigrated%20to%20the%20US%20in%20the%20early%201900s,%20so%20as%20you%20can%20imagine%20I%20do%20not%20have%20this%20at%20hand”>quote</a>?

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<p>I’ll play devil’s advocate here. You are considering stating that you identify as Hispanic, but you’re not exactly sure of who in your family has Hispanic roots? I have to ask, in what ways do you identify with your Hispanic/Argentine background? Relatives, food, celebrations, activities with your local Hispanic community
? You don’t have to answer, and colleges are likely not going to ask, but it does relate to your question about deceit/suspicions. Adcoms tend to be pretty savvy about sniffing out lies/exaggerations, whether it’s about ethnicity/race or any other part of the application that isn’t verified like grades & test scores (eg. essay, ECs, volunteering).</p>

<p>Finally, not all Hispanic candidates are the same, see post #2 of this thread for some thoughts about what colleges look at within the group of Hispanic candidates and how admissions ‘bumps’ can differ:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/hispanic-students/931488-ivy-league-admissions-nhrps.html?highlight=ivy[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/hispanic-students/931488-ivy-league-admissions-nhrps.html?highlight=ivy&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Thank you for your response. I have read the US Census post and deeply looked into this. I have asked my parents and they have told me that I am 1/4th Hispanic (Argentinian) and 3/4th Caucasian (Italian, Irish, Austrian).</p>

<p>Since there is a clear benefit of checking Hispanic, should I check solely Hispanic or both Hispanic and white? </p>

<p>It was my grandfather who had Hispanic roots. To be honest, I am not neither substantially in touch with my Spanish culture nor even Caucasian culture. I have more of an “American” based culture. Will being Hispanic do a great deal to improve my likelihood of being accepted? Thank you.</p>

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<p>Surely I’m not the only one slightly bothered by people who have recently discovered their Hispanic/Native American/African American roots and are itching to mark it on their colleges apps, solely so they’ll receive an admissions boost.</p>

<p>Anyways. If you’ve always identified yourself as white, why wouldn’t you mark it on your college applications? The Hispanic boost isn’t as huge as you might think it is.</p>

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<p>As stated in the Census information and my post #2, Hispanic is an ethnicity, Caucasian is a race, these are two different concepts and are asked in two separate, non-exclusive questions on the CA. You are first asked, Are you Hispanic (Y/N). Then you are asked for your race, where you can mark one or more of: Caucasian, AA, Asian, PI or NA/OP. While your ethnicity is 1/4 Hispanic, it sounds like you are most likely racially white (as most Argentinians are of European descent, and very few have backgrounds that are from Original Peoples).</p>

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<p>That is up to you since all ethnic and racial information is completely optional. </p>

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<p>This is discussed in the thread I linked to in post #2.</p>

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<p>You can find plenty of people interested in discussing this topic on this thread:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/927219-race-college-admission-faq-discussion-8-a.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/927219-race-college-admission-faq-discussion-8-a.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Oops. I posted in the thread yesterday, but forgot to look through all of it. :o Thanks, entomom!</p>

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<p>So technically, you could check yes to Hispanic and leave the second half blank?</p>

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<p>D is 1/4 Argentinian, since her paternal grandmother was born and raised in Argentina and immigrated as an adult. However, there is documentation of it on my husband’s birth certificate. It clearly states that his mother’s country of birth is Argentina. Perhaps your parents have similar documentation that you are unaware of if your grandfather was born in Argentina. (If your grandfather was American born, then you are not really 1/4 hispanic.)</p>

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<p>Thank you for your response. The last comment you left though did not make much sense though. </p>

<p>“(If your grandfather was American born, then you are not really 1/4 hispanic.)”</p>

<p>Are you sure about that?</p>

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<p>I’ve recently been doing some ancestral research to find my family’s origins. I know my surname, Galatas, is Greek and the first of us were from Greece, so I’ve always put white. Well, recently I discovered that before coming to the US the Galatas’ from Greece settled in Spain and married into the Basque community. My 5th great grandfather and his wife (both Spanish) immigrated to the US in 1779 from Vitoria, Spain, which is the capital of the Basque Country. So, two questions: 1) Am I considered Hispanic even though the last true hispanics are 200 years down my family line? 2.) Am I considered Hispanic even though my family line came to the US from Basque Country? Although my ancestors spoke Spanish and did so when they came to the US, their native language was Basque.</p>

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<p>ROFLMAO
ok, just chuckling
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<p>^^^On this forum we try to help students understand the definition of Hispanic, how the admissions process works for Hispanic students, opportunities for Hispanic applicants, etc. Derision of any sort is better expressed in the Race thread I linked to in post #5 of this thread.</p>

<p>OP, the two questions you ask are not necessary, what matters is one question: When you think of your ethnicity, do you consider yourself Hispanic? Please go to the sticky thread defining Hispanic at the top of this forum to understand the difference between ethnicity and race, and to read about how Hispanic is defined for college admissions purposes.</p>

<p>Then, if applicable, read the thread I gave the link for in post #2 of this thread. It will give you some idea of what factors within the Hispanic designation are considered by adcoms.</p>

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<p>Sorry!..</p>